Indicator



I hten ted Sept. 23, 1919. i931 20 T 1 22 e! Inventor.

fl y Uffiempien, A:

lilting INDICATOR. APPLICATION FILED NOV- l6| 19. 1,317,020.

A. J. KEMPIE N.

7 1 mines-ass:

UNITED STATES PATENT o Io v I AUGUST 3'. ZIHI 'IEN', 0] ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA.

nmrciiron.

Patented Sept. 23, 1919.

Application filed November 18, 1914, Serial No. 872,409. Renewed December as, 1916. Serial No. 188,868.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I AUeUsT J. Knurmlv, a citizen of the United States, residin at St. Paul, in the county of Ramsey and tate of Minnesota, have invented a new and usetul Improvement in Indicators, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide means for indicating when a player commits what is termed a technica foul in the game of bowling, by allowing his or her foot to extend, over or beyond the foul line while any portion of the foot rests on the alleyway. Various devices have been designed for accomplishing this result, but they have been found impracticable for use, because they are not dependable and frequently are actuated by the ball which is thrown by the layer, instead of being operated by the lbot. My invention overcomes these objections and provides a simple, inexpensive and eifective device for accomplishing the de sired results.

In the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a plan of a detail of a bowling alley near the players end Fig. 2 is a section of a detail taken upon the line XX of. Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a section of a detailtaken upon the ins Y-Y of Fig. 2, andFig/ is a diagram illustrating the electric circuit employed.

It is customaryto employ a foul line near the layers end of a bowlin alley, and accor mg to the rules a'ndregu ations adopted by players to penalize a player, who steps over said linewhen throwing a ball, and when an ,portion of the foot rests upon the alley. I invention provides a device, which is placed in the floor of the alley. and run ways onthe foul line orin proximity thereto, but whih'figmaiiato operate, seas, to indicate automatically by, a signal when a player encroacheps upon the line 'sufliciently to becomepenalizedx An'fobjection in the use of contact-devices,'is that the ball when thrown frequently comes into contact with the foul line, and operates the indicator when not desired. To overcome this ob'ection, I provide a plurality of contact points or spots, contact with one of which 1s 1nsufi'lcient to operate the signal, it becoming necessary to depress two or more of the points in order .to efiect the signal. These points are placed near enough together so that the foot will 0 crate them, but owing to the curvature 0 the periphery of the bowling ball, it is impossible for the ball to actuate more than one of the points at a time, which w ll not cause the signal to operate. As a result the signal or alarm push or actuating elements operate in multiple to actuate the signal, that is more than one of the push elements must be operated to eflect s1 aling.

n the drawing, I have illustrated one form of my mvention, it being understood that various designs embodying the principles em l o ed can be used. A indicates a plate, w 1c is mortised into and across the surface of the floor, dividin the alley way proper B fro1 n the runwa said plate bemg set with its surface ush with the surface of said floor to which it is secured by means of the screws 2, or other suitable means. This plate is formed with a channel 3, extending longitudinally thereof, in which a stri D made of rubber, composition, wood or ot er suitable material is laced having a series of openings 4 dispose in alinement with the foul line. The stri D can be of suitable color, so as to mark p ain'ly the foul line and each of the o enin 4 is designed to receive the head en of ai ushing 5 made of metal or other suitable material containin a push piece in the form of a contact ba 1 6, the peripher of which projects slightly above the sur ace of the strip D and of the end of the bushing containing the ball. The bushing is formed with a seat 7 in its upper end against which the ball is pressed firmly by a plunger 8, which is slidably supported to move vertically in the assage 9 within the bushing, said plungerbeing urged groove 3. The bus ing 5 is provided with a circular shoulder 13 seated in the body of the plate A, over which thestrip D is positioned toclamp the bushing firml down in place in the body of the plate. The several contact devices, such as described are of similar construction, and are ositioned in a row with the balls 6 u on t e foul line. The position in which t ese contact devices are placed can be varied, and it is not essential that they be in exact alinement, it being obvious that they can be staggered or arranged in any manner desired, so long as the contact devices are made so that it re uires the o ation of two or more to eflect t e operation of the signal, which is employed in conjunction therewith. It will be apparent, that should a pla or step on anyof t e contact devices, t e galls 6 are depressed, causing the switch arms 10 to be moved downwardly within the groove 14 in the plate A. The corresponding groove 25" below plate A in floor C is designed to contain a pair of bus-bars 15 and 16 acting as conductors for electric current, which is employed from a suitable source such as a battery 17 for op erating a visual signal 18. These bus-bars are separated by a strip-of insulating material 19 said bars bein fastened together as a unit by means to be ereinafter escribed. In the construction shown the switch arms 10 are electrically connected thro h plate A when the latter is made out 0 metal. When said plate is made out of insulatm material the switch arms 10 can be connects b wiri'n in an well known manner or tli rough t e met ic arts of the mechanism.

Below the free on of each switch arm 10, the head of a contact bolt 20 is spaced, whereby when the balls 6 'are depressed the switch arms are forced into connection with the heads of the bolts 20 for the pur ose of closing an electric circuit 22 pass' 't rough the bus-bars, si al and battery. he be ts 20 are arranged in series below the ends of the switch arms 10 and every alternate bolt makes connection with one bus-bar while the adjacent bolt or bolts make connectlon Wlth the other bus-bar, thereby necessitating two switch arms to be pressed simultaneously into connection wit the terminal bolts before the signal is energized. The bolts are turned into threaded engagement with the bus-bars and the ones which ass through the bus-bar 15 and enter the ar 16 serve to clamp the :bars with the intervening insulating. strip 19 together. The terminal bolts, which clamp the terminal bars togather are insulated from the bar 15 by insulating material 23. The ends of the bus-bars are connected to the ends of the circuit 22, such as by bindin screws 24.

In operation should the p ayer happen to step on the foul line two or more of the balls will be depressed, causing the corresponding switch arms 10 to be pressed into contact with the heads of the terminal bolts, thus clos' a circuit through the signal 18 and indicating that the layer has exceeded the rules of the game and committed a technical foul. A technical foul is one in which a player enoroaches upon the alley wa from the run way more than is permitted y the rules of the ame. The si aling devlce is not operate when the wlin ball is thrown by the player and roll over the foul line. The source of electric energy may be in the form of the battery as illustrated or may be derived from any power circuit or .su-itable source of electric current. The si al ma be of any form desired, the lam il ustrate being one form of visual signa which can be employed. An sound producing signal or other suitab e signal may be used when desired. The apparatus may also be modified, and changed in construc tlon, and need not be used with an electrical apparatus, the broad principle involved bengthe employment of a signal actuating device, in which it is necessary to actuate more than one actuating device on the foul line before the signal is operated, leaving the bowling ball which is used by the player free to actuate one of said devices without afiecting the signal.

he device can be constructed with the push elements distributed over any distance across the floor forming the alle and run ways or the device can be place wherever desired, either in the alle way pro or or run Way proper. Its wi th may a so be varied or the device as a whole can be applied to other uses than with bbwling alley wa s.

n accordance with the patent statutes, I have described the principles of operation of my invention, together with the apparatus w ich I now consider to re resent the best embodiment thereof, but I esire to have it understood that the construction shown is only illustrative and that the invention can be carried out by other means and applied to uses other than those above set forth within the scope of the following claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is 1. A foul line indicator, comprising, in combination, with a bowling alley wa floor, a series of signal actuating devices aving actuating elements positioned on the foul line in said floor and spaced sufiiciently apart to prevent the o eration of-more than one of said actuating evices by aball'rolled over sald floor and a signal operatively connected with more than one of said actuating devices, renderin it necessary to operate more than one 0 said actuating devices to energize said signal.

2. In combination, with a bowlin alley way floor, a series of signal actuating devices placed in said floor 1n roximity thereto, the foul line and a signa connected with more than one of said actuating devices to be operated by the simultaneous depression of more than one of said actuating devices, leaving said signal unafi'ected by the actuation of only one of the actuating devices.

3. In combination with a bowlin alley way floor, a series of signal actuatin eviees along the foul line in said floor, ewe of said actuating devices consisting of a ush piece adapted to be depressed in said cor by an object passing over the floor, a switch associated with said push piece havingv circuit closing elements cooperatiig with said push piece to be closed by the epression o the push piece, said switches being connected in series multi le with an electric circuit, whereby it comes necessary to depress more than one of said push pieces, to energize said circuit, and a signal and source of electric current connected with said circuit.

4. In combination with a bowling alley way floor, a. series of push pieces along the foul line in said floor, said push pieces being adapted to be depressed by an object passing over said floor and switch elements I associated with said push pieces and form- 0 ing a circuit when csed passing through more than one of the switches in series at a time for the purposes specified.

5. A foul line 1ndicator, comprising, in combination with a bowling alley floor two cooperating elements, one a signal and the other a. series of push elements assembled along the foul line in said floor and adapted to be depressed by an object coming into contact therewith on said floor, said push elements being so connected with said signal as to operate the latter when more than one of said push elements are depressed simultaneously and inefiective upon said signal when operated singly.

6. An alarm device comprising, in combination, a support, a series of push elements on said support, and an electric signaling circuit havln said push elements connected in series t erewith, whereby the simultaneous depression of more than one of said push elements is necessary to energize said circuit.

7. In combination with a bowling alley wa floor, a series of push elements set in sai floor to be de ressed by an object passing' thereover, an an electric signaling circuit having said push elements connected in series therewith, whereby the simultaneous depression of more than one of said push elements is necessary to energize said circu1 8. In combination with a floor, circuit closing devices having push elements for effecting their 0 eration exposed on the surface of said oor and an electric circuit having a multiple connection of series roups of said circuit cIOSingJdevices, whereby sald circuit is adapted to e closed by the depression of all of the push elements of a series of said circuit closlng devices and to be unefi'ected by the closing of a single circuit closing device. I

9. In combination with a bowling alleyway floor, a signal, and a (plurality of foot operating devices eonnecte with said floor and signal, said devices being arranged so that more than one must be operated simultaneously to actuate said signal.

10. In combination with a bowlin alleyway floor, a signal, and a plurality 0 yielding foot operating devices connected with sald floor and signal, said devices being arranged so that more than one must be depressed simultaneously to actuate said signal.

11. In combination with a bowling alleyway fioor, a signal and a multiple signal operating devicesituated adjacent to said floor and arranged so that a plurality of parts must be actuated by a foot simultaneously to operate said signal but so that said parts remain inactive to effect the operation of 1sflalid signal by a bowling ball passing over 12. A signal comprising, in combination a sup ort, an alarm and a plurality of push e ements on said support connected to said alarm and arranged to require the depression of more than one of said push elements to operate said alarm.

13. A signal, comprising, in combination, a support, an alarm and a plurality of push elements on said su port connected to said alarm and arranged to require the depression of more than one of said push elements simultaneously to operate said alarm.

14. A foul line indicator, comprising, in combination, a support, asignal, and a plurality of actuating devices on said support and connected in groups with said signal so as when operated singly to unefiect said signal and when operated in a group to actuate said si al.

15. A fou line indicator, comprising, in combination, a floor, an indicator and groups of actuating devices on said floor.

arranged not to effect the operation of said indicator unless more than one of the devices constituting a grou are operated.

16. In combination wit a support a plurality of push elements arranged sufliciently close together on said support so that the foot can cover more than one at once and means connected with said push elements to be actuated by the simultaneous depression of a plurality of said push elements.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

AUGUST J. KEMPIEN.

' Witnesses:

S'mnm L. Wsscnnnmum, F. S. Bnsnnunr.

Ill 

